Atletico Madrid 1-0 Getafe
A first-half header from Luis Suarez was enough to propel Atletico Madrid three points clear after a typically clinical display against Getafe at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium tonight.
Los Rojiblancos have climbed to the summit of La Liga after a brilliant run of form and they also have a game in hand over second-placed Real Madrid. And while this was not the most expansive performance, Diego Simeone’s side was never in trouble once Suarez had given them the lead on 20 minutes.
Highlights of the game
Atleti started with top scorer Suarez and the returning Joao Felix in a two-man attack supported by Marcos Llorente, and all three were in action in the opening minutes as the hosts tested their visitors resolve. First, Suarez headed a Yannick Carrasco cross inches over the bar, then Felix fired wide from a Llorente set up.
The early siege continued and when Mario Hermoso teed up Carrasco he fired a low shot which Getafe keeper Ruben Yanez did well to save in his bottom right corner. But Yanez was a spectator on 14 minutes, when Thomas Lemar crashed the crossbar with a shot from a tight angle.
But it wasn’t long before the Atleti pressure told.
Jaime Mata tripped Koke in a dangerous area, and when Carrasco swung over a perfect cross Suarez planted his header low into the corner, giving Yanez no chance and claiming his eighth league goal of the season.
Los Rojiblancos’ impressive La Liga 2020 results owe a lot to their summer capture of the Uruguayan hitman and he looked right up for this game from the off.
Following one-way traffic for the opening half an hour, Atleti’s keeper Jan Oblak was called into action on 34 minutes when Angel Rodriguez headed from close range, but the keeper collected comfortably.
Getafe tried to find a way back into the game in the opening exchanges of the second half with Jaime Mata having two decent chances, one wide of the mark the other saved by Oblak.
But Atleti are always dangerous on the break and when Saul Niguez put Carrasco through he brought a fine low save from Yanez to keep the visitors in the game.
The visitors kept plugging away though and the dangerous Marc Cucurella had a shot blocked, and then David Timor had a speculative punt from over 35 yards which sailed wide.
Atleti’s legendary defence is always happy to see efforts from that distance. And Getafe didn’t get much nearer, though Cucurella had a late effort blocked as their hosts played out the game in second gear.
Key statistics
Getafe had been turning a corner in recent weeks, unbeaten in three games, but they came up against a team bang in form in the first 45 minutes, and they conceded the majority of possession and trailed in the shot count by six to three and two to one on target.
Here at SBOTOP, we offered odds of 1.48 for Atleti to win and the most likely scoreline of 1-0 at 4.20. And Los Rojiblancos played out the second half without really breaking sweat; in fact, by full time the possession was shared 50-50 and the shot count ten to nine in Getafe’s favour, three to two on target for Atleti.
Simeone’s side have conceded just five goals this season and Getafe know exactly why. The league leaders have won seven and drawn one at home this term, and have now beaten Getafe at their last seven meetings and are unbeaten in 19, remarkably without conceding, a record dating back to 2011.
What’s next?
So Los Rojiblancos are now two points clear at the top after Real Madrid could only draw away against struggling Elche in the late kick-off.
Into the New Year and Atletico Madrid are away to Alaves, a game they should win against mid-table opposition if they are to continue a serious assault on the title. The La Liga 2020 betting odds say they have a genuine chance of lifting their first title since 2014 and that would be sweet for the red and white half of Madrid.
Next up, Getafe have a home game, on 2nd January, against Real Valladolid. Los Pucelanos are in the relegation mix, still in the drop zone though they have shown signs of improvement with five points from the last four games.
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